Dead Beat Assassin
by Jicama
Summary: *This is a rewrite of a fic I wrote under an old pen name.* There's a half-fox half-crow demon assassin after Kurama (specifically) but the rest of the gang is fair game too. She brings along her friend, (adopted) sister and backup, who is totally in on the game. Together, they either going to finally kill the Spirit Detectives of the Human World or their going to die trying.
1. Prologue

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

The Death Rose

Prologue

The room of the tavern room was surprisingly well lit, considering the types of demons there usually preferred to keep themselves hidden and their motives just the same. Outside this one meeting room, it was almost as dark as the half moon night outside. However, this meeting had nothing to do with secrecy, since both knew speaking of it would mean disaster and death for them both.

"You will go to Ningenkai and kill Youko Kurama." The man spoke, casually sipping at a small glass of alcohol. He had the air of someone used to having his wishes fulfilled, though the tense and guarded posture of a warrior in a dangerous situation.

The assassin, with their face hidden behind a veil of black hair and crow's feathers, knew this and smirked at the demand.

"Three quarters now, for the risk." With a gloved hand, a tall glass of red alcohol was picked up and gulped down. There was another smirk, this time with teeth bared.

"That's ridiculous."

"That's what happens when you ask someone to kill one of the most feared youkai in existence. I'd be asking five times what I am now as a meeting fee if it were the Mazoku." A small chuckle and a shrug were given. "Cheaper to do it yourself, don't you think, master?"

"I'll pay it." He pulled out a pouch of gems and slid them across the table. The assassin gauged their weight by tossing it once, but as with a quick grip, also counted them by the feel. "Make it personal."

"You're short three, which I expect to see in my final payment." Without another word, the assassin rose and left, leaving their newest client to wonder if they could even survive such an ordeal.

Yes, it's short, but that's why it's a prologue.

I'd appreciate reviews, but I won't threaten to stop writing. I'll just keep this among friends who want to read it until I feel like posting it here. *smirks*

Next chapter you'll meet some people who play an important part – yes, the dreaded oc characters but hey, the assassin was a given – and then we'll get to where the story really gets good. *grins* I promise their little section is cute and just gives some back-story. You'll also find out who the assassin is.

**Chapter 2: Ch1 How We Get There**

Okay, this chapter *is* mostly a flashback of sorts. Just a way to introduce the OCs and I'm letting you in on something that was a secret in the first (crappy) version of this story (If you must see it, it's my old account Angel Preserver, which I can no longer access). There's also what seems to be a lot of fluff, and I apologize, but I wanted to get some facts about the Tentai and friends settled as well.

Ame belongs to a friend, Aislin Bria.

Kokeshi- little wooden dolls; originally a peasant child's toy, now a popular souvenir/trinket.

Disclaimer: There would have been a lengthy manga/anime sequel or two if I owned it, so obviously I don't.

The day was beautiful, a warm sunny summer day when families all around were escaping their homes and the cities to wander through some bit of countryside, beach or mountain to enjoy the glorious weather. The Minamino family was no different and sat together in their compact car heading to a mountain inn for the weekend.

In the back seat, each in their own little car seat sat a boy about age 8, and a little girl 4 years younger. They were brother and sister, and were content to babble to each other and let their parents converse or sit in silence as they pleased. The little girl, her hair in braids on either side of her face was cuddling a Pikachu doll half her size and cooing at it. The little boy, however, sat mostly silent and unmoving except for his breathing as he looked out the window at the passing scenery.

"Almost there you two!" Their mother, a sweet tempered woman said, looking back at the two of them with a smile. "We'll have so much fun, and there's even a party on one night."

The son smiled and nodded at his mom, then returned to staring out the window as his sister babbled things to her doll. It was a short while later that they arrived at the inn and were walking around the building to enjoy the quickly setting sun. The family of four stopped by a lake to admire the fish while standing upon a small arched bridge over two connecting fishponds. The mother stopped to re-braid her daughter's hair, chuckling about how wild it could be.

"There, all nice and pretty Ame." She said, tugging gently at one. "Go see the fish, but remember not to let Pikachu get wet."

Ame smiled and nodded at her mom, too busy sucking her thumb to respond even though she could. She tottered over and stared at the fish before deciding the dark gray and brown ones boring, wandering off as Mama fixed Shuichi's overalls, and Dad chatted with a worker at the inn about fishing. When she reached the end of the little bridge, Ame tripped and fell on top of her Pikachu with a sudden cry. She rolled off her beloved doll and hugged it as she sobbed, until something hit her on her head- something no one she knew would ever do.

"Bad." A little voice said, and Ame turned to see a girl her age with black hair and weird eyes staring at her. Ame had been hit with a thin, yet supple stick, which the girl still held. Beside the stranger was a boy, as old as Shuichi at least. He had the same hair, though shorter and the same eyes. What scared Ame however, were the black fox ears on top of her head, and the tail swishing behind her. The boy only had a few feathers in his hair.

"Don't be loud, stupid." He said, frowning at her. "We don't need our mom finding us."

Ame looks back to where the bridge was, or supposed to be but instead saw nothing but forest and began to sob, clutching her doll.

"I don't wanna do chores, oniichiyan." The little girl whined, tugging on her brothers happi coat as she pouted. It wasn't a pathetic give in to me pout, so much as a pout from not enjoying the current events.

Suddenly, the brush parted and a woman taller than Ame's Dad found them. Ame cried harder, even as she was picked up and cooed at by the woman with long black hair with feathers.

"A little human! How adorable they are…" She chuckled and looked down at her own offspring. "Nobara, Karasu- go do your chores immediately. And your kimono better stay clean, since you had to wear it today."

The two scurried off, Nobara abandoning her stick in her haste. Their mother followed behind, cradling the little girl and her toy.

"Don't worry, little one. I think you'll make a good play mate for my cubs."

Several years passed in the demon realm, and over time Ame became less shy and increasingly capable of defending herself – if only against her play mates as they sometimes chose to include her in the rough housing.

Currently she was sitting beside the open area used for sparring in front of the den, holding her Pikachu doll and staring off into space as the siblings practiced what they'd been taught. After the 5 years she'd been there, Ame knew both Karasu and Nobara were actually older than they looked and obviously that they were youkai. Nobara half youko, half crow and Karasu entirely crow like their mother Ibara. The brother and sister duo was in a way, putting on a show for their younger sibling. On demand from their Obasaan, who had started to see Ame as more than a human pet to her descendents; that they make certain she begin to learn.

"Ame!" Nobara paused, slightly out of breath as she took a break from blocking Karasu's attacks, "I'm sick of you getting to sit down! Put down the rat thing and come fight with me!"

"Her name is Pikachu!" Ame scowled, narrowing her green eyes for a moment before setting it down and getting up to walk to Nobara. "Quit calling her a rat!"

"I'll stop calling it a rat the day you beat me in a fight."

From then on, Ame began to take a more active part in the training, learning to defend herself the best she could against the two demons.

During the years to come, Ame had gone from playmate to sibling to the two children of Ibara. They lived together in a spacious underground den with Ibara's mother and occasionally Nobara's father who always brought them presents. It was during one of those few visits that the children had been allowed off their chores – no secret why – and were swimming in the river near-by.

Ame was sitting on the edge, holding one of the little kokeshi dolls that had been her gift. Each had received two little dolls, a boy and a girl in different styles of kimono. The girl was dressed in a peach blossom kimono, the man in a koi one... and as she stared at them, she started to wonder what her parents looked like. As much as she tried to remember, she couldn't and it bothered her. Hadn't she had a brother? Grandparents? It didn't make sense that she couldn't remember them, it hadn't really been that long had it?

She began to cry, just a few small tears when Karasu came to see what was wrong. He sat up on the shore with her, his pants dripping wet and using his hippari jacket as a towel.

"What's wrong, Ame? Don't you like the gift Yuuto-san gave?" The demon asked, petting at Ame's hair. After all the years Ame had been with them, he'd almost developed a crush on the girl but she was still far too much like a sister for him to ever consider courting her.

"I like it… I do… I-I can't remember my parents." She looked up at the man she considered a brother and leaned into her attention, sobbing. Nobara chose that moment to come up, wrapped in her own yukata and hugged her sister. "I can't remember my parents… my brother… I can't remember."

"You said your mom had dark hair like Mama. And dark eyes. When you first came here, when you were scared we'd eat you." Teasingly Nobara tickled Ame's sides. "And how different can your brother have looked? You had the same mom and dad, Ame."

The red haired girl nodded and smiled, giggling a little at the tickling. She sat up and wiped at her eyes, staring out into the water.

"You're right…" She said, and peered into the water, staring at her own reflection. "I bet I look just like my mom!"

As Ame looked into the water, she focused on trying to make her own face seem older, wiser, with a happy smile that wrinkled at the corners. Nobara and Karasu sat back, waiting for her to make sure she was happy again before returning to swimming. Nobara peered down the rives to make sure her own kokeshi dolls- purple and green- were safe on their rock. Suddenly, they were doused as the water Ame had been looking into while she imagined her mother came up in a wobbly pillar and splashed down on them all.

"What was that!" Nobara shouted, irritated she'd been splashed like that even though she hadn't dried off from her swim.

"Is there a demon in the water?" Karasu pushed Ame back and peered in, but couldn't see anything in the clear slowly moving waters. He looked back up at the two girls with a confused expression. "Did you do that?"

"I was just trying to imagine what mom would look like… I was thinking she'd look like me, and my reflection…" Ame's brow furrowed as she concentrated again on her short fantasy. "The water moved…"

"Do it again." Nobara encouraged her, then looked to Karasu. "Then we tell Mama?"

"Of course." Karasu shrugged with a chuckle. "Mama's always the last to know."

When Ame and Nobara appeared to have hit the brink of adulthood and Karasu had long reached full maturity, Ibara died. Her heart, which always had an odd way of beating, finally stopped that night while she slept. Her two children and their companion gathered around a fire with their Obasaan, crying and murmuring things in hope of easing the pain. Karasu put an arm around Ame and his sister, holding them each as they let out their emotions. He remained stoic, only staring at the fire and mouthing things to himself.

"Nobara, it is time for you to take on the job as Death Rose." Obasaan said, her own eyes dry despite it being her own daughter that was dead. "Her sisters were useless, and I have retired and plan to remain so."

"I… I will do it, Obasaan." Nobara replied, forcing herself to stop crying.

"Nobara-chan…" Ame began, reaching out to hold her hand, was cut off by the half-breed with a cold stare.

"Don't. "

Koenma sat in his office, in his baby form, stamping paperwork just like always.

"WHY IS IT SO _BORING_!" He shouted around his pacifier, throwing his stamp across the room, where it bounced against the wall and then a few inches across the floor.

Quietly, an ogre by the name of George slipped into the room carrying another stack of papers. He managed to get to the desk and set them down on the only open space before he spoke.

"Sir, there's a mark of a C-Class demon getting through the barrier. He had something else with him, too weak to actually show up as more than either a human or a another much lower class demon."

"So send someone after him." Koenma glared and waved a hand. 'Get me my stamp and leave me alone. Don't you see how much work I have?"

"But there's a rumor the Death Rose is going to assassinate Kurama!"

"I see… and you think this demon is the Death Rose?"

"No other demons have been crossing the barriers, Koenma Sir. And Kurama-san hasn't been in the Makai in months according to our reports, so the Death Rose has to cross."

"Well, I guess I get to go tell the team to watch out." With a mischievous smile, Koenma leaped from his seat to the floor and headed out the door. "Manage my office, Ogre."

"B-b-b-but Koenma Sir!"

Kurama sighed and headed out of his apartment with a carefully placed smile and measured steps. To say he was irritated with the summons would be a stretch, but he wasn't entirely pleased by the prospects of getting work from the Reikai again. After a time, Koenma had let them free of their jobs and the group could get together as they see fit. For Kurama, that was a rare occurrence and it suited him well, because human heart or not he was naturally more solitary. Regardless, he made his way through the city to Genkai's home, wondering what dangerous mission Koenma couldn't give to the newer Tentai.

Yusuke complained to himself as he packed up his ramen stand early. It didn't bother him too much, he made enough to have a day off but the fact remained it was a weekday and he was actually liking his daily routine. Finally, everything was locked up and he could pull it off to the garage where he normally stored it. Along the way home to change, he met up with Kuwabara, who had to call in sick to classes. He griped about it for a few moments before starting to babble about Yukina again. Yusuke managed to put an end to that as soon as possible, though silently he wished his relationship with Keiko was going faster. The two spent the time talking about old fights and trying to outdo each other with who had the shit beat out of them more.

That lasted until they met up with Kurama at the edge of the forest, and from there they switched to just telling funny stories about each other, even if it hadn't been funny at the time. Hiei ended up meeting them at the temple gate, though they knew he had been following along in the trees and had only gone ahead at the last minute.

Hiei, though he seemed uninterested in speaking with his friends, was only more interested in finding whoever had been stalking about the city lately. On one of his visits to Kurama, he realized the presence of a demon but lost it before he could investigate with his katana. Since then he'd been on his guard despite not having sensed it since.

The group gathered, grouped together and sitting casually upon the tatami mats as they pleased. Koenma stood in front of them in his teenage form, looking very pleased with his self over something even as he forced a more serious expression.

"So I'm sure you four are wondering what I've called you here for…" He began with a grin.

"A demon is in the Ningenkai looking for us. I sensed it two weeks ago, during the night." Hiei interrupted, not bothering to look away from whatever it was caught his interest outside the window. "Possibly Kurama or I, unless the detective and the fool noticed someone watching them."

"And you didn't say anything sooner!" Koenma shouted, but found himself ignored.

"I didn't notice anything…" Yusuke frowned and made a fist. "Guess we're going to have to take care of this punk."

"I know no one's been watching me." Kuwabara joined in, standing up and striking what he thought was a heroic pose. "But I can handle whatever is lurking in the shadows! Because I have the power of my Yukina-chan's love!"

Kurama shrugged and only smiled at the other two men's antics. "I noticed the presence Hiei mentioned, but I'm afraid I don't have any more information on it than him."

"Well you all can't do it just like that!" In an attempt to regain his position of information god, Koenma spoke before anyone else could reply and with a grin stated, "It's the Death Rose, and he's brought someone with him!"

"And who did he bring?" Hiei asked.

"Uh…" Koenma sighed and his shoulders stooped. "We don't know…other than the Death Rose is only C class and his friend is weak enough to be a mundane human."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Yusuke stood up, grinning. "I could beat them both up in my sleep then!"

"Huh, yeah me too! I handled worse when I wasn't even half as strong as I am now!" Kuwabara chimed in. Before he could continue proclaiming his abilities, Kurama cut in.

"The Death Rose is the most feared assassin in the Makai. He has been assassinating demons and Reikai officials for hundreds of years. C class or not, his skill is far greater than most."

"Thanks for stealing my thunder." Koenma muttered, sucking on his pacifier forcefully.

Outside, a figure sat hidden among a small group of growing spider demon eggs, concealed by their combined spirit energies. Even without hearing, the assassin knew they all were speaking about her, and the time for a quiet strike had passed the instant the fire and koorime hybrid had spotted her. His close proximity to the target meant she'd have to distract him somehow, and make that distraction a common thing…

'Alright… we can get a hell of a lot more personal.' She thought, settling down to wait for hours if needed until she could make a quick retreat. 'Might as well get it good for Karasu too.'

With that, the Death Rose huddled herself together on the silk cocoons and began to plot the demise of what would arguably be her most challenging target yet.


	2. How We Get There

Okay, this chapter *is* mostly a flashback of sorts. Just a way to introduce the OCs and I'm letting you in on something that was a secret in the first (crappy) version of this story (If you must see it, it's my old account Angel Preserver, which I can no longer access). There's also what seems to be a lot of fluff, and I apologize, but I wanted to get some facts about the Tentai and friends settled as well.

Ame belongs to a friend, Aislin Bria.

Kokeshi- little wooden dolls; originally a peasant child's toy, now a popular souvenir/trinket.

Disclaimer: There would have been a lengthy manga/anime sequel or two if I owned it, so obviously I don't.

The day was beautiful, a warm sunny summer day when families all around were escaping their homes and the cities to wander through some bit of countryside, beach or mountain to enjoy the glorious weather. The Minamino family was no different and sat together in their compact car heading to a mountain inn for the weekend.

In the back seat, each in their own little car seat sat a boy about age 8, and a little girl 4 years younger. They were brother and sister, and were content to babble to each other and let their parents converse or sit in silence as they pleased. The little girl, her hair in braids on either side of her face was cuddling a Pikachu doll half her size and cooing at it. The little boy, however, sat mostly silent and unmoving except for his breathing as he looked out the window at the passing scenery.

"Almost there you two!" Their mother, a sweet tempered woman said, looking back at the two of them with a smile. "We'll have so much fun, and there's even a party on one night."

The son smiled and nodded at his mom, then returned to staring out the window as his sister babbled things to her doll. It was a short while later that they arrived at the inn and were walking around the building to enjoy the quickly setting sun. The family of four stopped by a lake to admire the fish while standing upon a small arched bridge over two connecting fishponds. The mother stopped to re-braid her daughter's hair, chuckling about how wild it could be.

"There, all nice and pretty Ame." She said, tugging gently at one. "Go see the fish, but remember not to let Pikachu get wet."

Ame smiled and nodded at her mom, too busy sucking her thumb to respond even though she could. She tottered over and stared at the fish before deciding the dark gray and brown ones boring, wandering off as Mama fixed Shuichi's overalls, and Dad chatted with a worker at the inn about fishing. When she reached the end of the little bridge, Ame tripped and fell on top of her Pikachu with a sudden cry. She rolled off her beloved doll and hugged it as she sobbed, until something hit her on her head- something no one she knew would ever do.

"Bad." A little voice said, and Ame turned to see a girl her age with black hair and weird eyes staring at her. Ame had been hit with a thin, yet supple stick, which the girl still held. Beside the stranger was a boy, as old as Shuichi at least. He had the same hair, though shorter and the same eyes. What scared Ame however, were the black fox ears on top of her head, and the tail swishing behind her. The boy only had a few feathers in his hair.

"Don't be loud, stupid." He said, frowning at her. "We don't need our mom finding us."

Ame looks back to where the bridge was, or supposed to be but instead saw nothing but forest and began to sob, clutching her doll.

"I don't wanna do chores, oniichiyan." The little girl whined, tugging on her brothers happi coat as she pouted. It wasn't a pathetic give in to me pout, so much as a pout from not enjoying the current events.

Suddenly, the brush parted and a woman taller than Ame's Dad found them. Ame cried harder, even as she was picked up and cooed at by the woman with long black hair with feathers.

"A little human! How adorable they are…" She chuckled and looked down at her own offspring. "Nobara, Karasu- go do your chores immediately. And your kimono better stay clean, since you had to wear it today."

The two scurried off, Nobara abandoning her stick in her haste. Their mother followed behind, cradling the little girl and her toy.

"Don't worry, little one. I think you'll make a good play mate for my cubs."

Several years passed in the demon realm, and over time Ame became less shy and increasingly capable of defending herself – if only against her play mates as they sometimes chose to include her in the rough housing.

Currently she was sitting beside the open area used for sparring in front of the den, holding her Pikachu doll and staring off into space as the siblings practiced what they'd been taught. After the 5 years she'd been there, Ame knew both Karasu and Nobara were actually older than they looked and obviously that they were youkai. Nobara half youko, half crow and Karasu entirely crow like their mother Ibara. The brother and sister duo was in a way, putting on a show for their younger sibling. On demand from their Obasaan, who had started to see Ame as more than a human pet to her descendents; that they make certain she begin to learn.

"Ame!" Nobara paused, slightly out of breath as she took a break from blocking Karasu's attacks, "I'm sick of you getting to sit down! Put down the rat thing and come fight with me!"

"Her name is Pikachu!" Ame scowled, narrowing her green eyes for a moment before setting it down and getting up to walk to Nobara. "Quit calling her a rat!"

"I'll stop calling it a rat the day you beat me in a fight."

From then on, Ame began to take a more active part in the training, learning to defend herself the best she could against the two demons.

During the years to come, Ame had gone from playmate to sibling to the two children of Ibara. They lived together in a spacious underground den with Ibara's mother and occasionally Nobara's father who always brought them presents. It was during one of those few visits that the children had been allowed off their chores – no secret why – and were swimming in the river near-by.

Ame was sitting on the edge, holding one of the little kokeshi dolls that had been her gift. Each had received two little dolls, a boy and a girl in different styles of kimono. The girl was dressed in a peach blossom kimono, the man in a koi one... and as she stared at them, she started to wonder what her parents looked like. As much as she tried to remember, she couldn't and it bothered her. Hadn't she had a brother? Grandparents? It didn't make sense that she couldn't remember them, it hadn't really been that long had it?

She began to cry, just a few small tears when Karasu came to see what was wrong. He sat up on the shore with her, his pants dripping wet and using his hippari jacket as a towel.

"What's wrong, Ame? Don't you like the gift Yuuto-san gave?" The demon asked, petting at Ame's hair. After all the years Ame had been with them, he'd almost developed a crush on the girl but she was still far too much like a sister for him to ever consider courting her.

"I like it… I do… I-I can't remember my parents." She looked up at the man she considered a brother and leaned into her attention, sobbing. Nobara chose that moment to come up, wrapped in her own yukata and hugged her sister. "I can't remember my parents… my brother… I can't remember."

"You said your mom had dark hair like Mama. And dark eyes. When you first came here, when you were scared we'd eat you." Teasingly Nobara tickled Ame's sides. "And how different can your brother have looked? You had the same mom and dad, Ame."

The red haired girl nodded and smiled, giggling a little at the tickling. She sat up and wiped at her eyes, staring out into the water.

"You're right…" She said, and peered into the water, staring at her own reflection. "I bet I look just like my mom!"

As Ame looked into the water, she focused on trying to make her own face seem older, wiser, with a happy smile that wrinkled at the corners. Nobara and Karasu sat back, waiting for her to make sure she was happy again before returning to swimming. Nobara peered down the rives to make sure her own kokeshi dolls- purple and green- were safe on their rock. Suddenly, they were doused as the water Ame had been looking into while she imagined her mother came up in a wobbly pillar and splashed down on them all.

"What was that!" Nobara shouted, irritated she'd been splashed like that even though she hadn't dried off from her swim.

"Is there a demon in the water?" Karasu pushed Ame back and peered in, but couldn't see anything in the clear slowly moving waters. He looked back up at the two girls with a confused expression. "Did you do that?"

"I was just trying to imagine what mom would look like… I was thinking she'd look like me, and my reflection…" Ame's brow furrowed as she concentrated again on her short fantasy. "The water moved…"

"Do it again." Nobara encouraged her, then looked to Karasu. "Then we tell Mama?"

"Of course." Karasu shrugged with a chuckle. "Mama's always the last to know."

When Ame and Nobara appeared to have hit the brink of adulthood and Karasu had long reached full maturity, Ibara died. Her heart, which always had an odd way of beating, finally stopped that night while she slept. Her two children and their companion gathered around a fire with their Obasaan, crying and murmuring things in hope of easing the pain. Karasu put an arm around Ame and his sister, holding them each as they let out their emotions. He remained stoic, only staring at the fire and mouthing things to himself.

"Nobara, it is time for you to take on the job as Death Rose." Obasaan said, her own eyes dry despite it being her own daughter that was dead. "Her sisters were useless, and I have retired and plan to remain so."

"I… I will do it, Obasaan." Nobara replied, forcing herself to stop crying.

"Nobara-chan…" Ame began, reaching out to hold her hand, was cut off by the half-breed with a cold stare.

"Don't. "

Koenma sat in his office, in his baby form, stamping paperwork just like always.

"WHY IS IT SO _BORING_!" He shouted around his pacifier, throwing his stamp across the room, where it bounced against the wall and then a few inches across the floor.

Quietly, an ogre by the name of George slipped into the room carrying another stack of papers. He managed to get to the desk and set them down on the only open space before he spoke.

"Sir, there's a mark of a C-Class demon getting through the barrier. He had something else with him, too weak to actually show up as more than either a human or a another much lower class demon."

"So send someone after him." Koenma glared and waved a hand. 'Get me my stamp and leave me alone. Don't you see how much work I have?"

"But there's a rumor the Death Rose is going to assassinate Kurama!"

"I see… and you think this demon is the Death Rose?"

"No other demons have been crossing the barriers, Koenma Sir. And Kurama-san hasn't been in the Makai in months according to our reports, so the Death Rose has to cross."

"Well, I guess I get to go tell the team to watch out." With a mischievous smile, Koenma leaped from his seat to the floor and headed out the door. "Manage my office, Ogre."

"B-b-b-but Koenma Sir!"

Kurama sighed and headed out of his apartment with a carefully placed smile and measured steps. To say he was irritated with the summons would be a stretch, but he wasn't entirely pleased by the prospects of getting work from the Reikai again. After a time, Koenma had let them free of their jobs and the group could get together as they see fit. For Kurama, that was a rare occurrence and it suited him well, because human heart or not he was naturally more solitary. Regardless, he made his way through the city to Genkai's home, wondering what dangerous mission Koenma couldn't give to the newer Tentai.

Yusuke complained to himself as he packed up his ramen stand early. It didn't bother him too much, he made enough to have a day off but the fact remained it was a weekday and he was actually liking his daily routine. Finally, everything was locked up and he could pull it off to the garage where he normally stored it. Along the way home to change, he met up with Kuwabara, who had to call in sick to classes. He griped about it for a few moments before starting to babble about Yukina again. Yusuke managed to put an end to that as soon as possible, though silently he wished his relationship with Keiko was going faster. The two spent the time talking about old fights and trying to outdo each other with who had the shit beat out of them more.

That lasted until they met up with Kurama at the edge of the forest, and from there they switched to just telling funny stories about each other, even if it hadn't been funny at the time. Hiei ended up meeting them at the temple gate, though they knew he had been following along in the trees and had only gone ahead at the last minute.

Hiei, though he seemed uninterested in speaking with his friends, was only more interested in finding whoever had been stalking about the city lately. On one of his visits to Kurama, he realized the presence of a demon but lost it before he could investigate with his katana. Since then he'd been on his guard despite not having sensed it since.

The group gathered, grouped together and sitting casually upon the tatami mats as they pleased. Koenma stood in front of them in his teenage form, looking very pleased with his self over something even as he forced a more serious expression.

"So I'm sure you four are wondering what I've called you here for…" He began with a grin.

"A demon is in the Ningenkai looking for us. I sensed it two weeks ago, during the night." Hiei interrupted, not bothering to look away from whatever it was caught his interest outside the window. "Possibly Kurama or I, unless the detective and the fool noticed someone watching them."

"And you didn't say anything sooner!" Koenma shouted, but found himself ignored.

"I didn't notice anything…" Yusuke frowned and made a fist. "Guess we're going to have to take care of this punk."

"I know no one's been watching me." Kuwabara joined in, standing up and striking what he thought was a heroic pose. "But I can handle whatever is lurking in the shadows! Because I have the power of my Yukina-chan's love!"

Kurama shrugged and only smiled at the other two men's antics. "I noticed the presence Hiei mentioned, but I'm afraid I don't have any more information on it than him."

"Well you all can't do it just like that!" In an attempt to regain his position of information god, Koenma spoke before anyone else could reply and with a grin stated, "It's the Death Rose, and he's brought someone with him!"

"And who did he bring?" Hiei asked.

"Uh…" Koenma sighed and his shoulders stooped. "We don't know…other than the Death Rose is only C class and his friend is weak enough to be a mundane human."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Yusuke stood up, grinning. "I could beat them both up in my sleep then!"

"Huh, yeah me too! I handled worse when I wasn't even half as strong as I am now!" Kuwabara chimed in. Before he could continue proclaiming his abilities, Kurama cut in.

"The Death Rose is the most feared assassin in the Makai. He has been assassinating demons and Reikai officials for hundreds of years. C class or not, his skill is far greater than most."

"Thanks for stealing my thunder." Koenma muttered, sucking on his pacifier forcefully.

Outside, a figure sat hidden among a small group of growing spider demon eggs, concealed by their combined spirit energies. Even without hearing, the assassin knew they all were speaking about her, and the time for a quiet strike had passed the instant the fire and koorime hybrid had spotted her. His close proximity to the target meant she'd have to distract him somehow, and make that distraction a common thing…

'Alright… we can get a hell of a lot more personal.' She thought, settling down to wait for hours if needed until she could make a quick retreat. 'Might as well get it good for Karasu too.'

With that, the Death Rose huddled herself together on the silk cocoons and began to plot the demise of what would arguably be her most challenging target yet.


End file.
